1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner, and more particularly to a vacuum cleaner having a cyclone dust collecting apparatus matingly disposed along a connection pipe, and capable of filtering out and collecting relatively large particle contaminants from dirt-laden air drawn in through a suction port.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As shown in FIG. 1, a vacuum cleaner has a cleaner body 1, a connection hose 2 connected to the cleaner body 1, an extension pipe 3 connected to connection hose 2 and a suction port 4 connected to an end of the extension pipe 3. A cover 5 is pivotally mounted on cleaner body 1, and cover 5 is connected to connection hose 2. Cleaner body 1 has a dust collecting chamber 6 inside. A paper filter 7 is removably received in chamber 6 to collect contaminants such as dust which are vacuumed through suction port 4. A handle grip 8 is provided between connection hose 2 and extension pipe 3. The handle grip provides a location for a user to easily manipulate extension pipe 3 and thereby guide suction port 4 during the cleaning operation.
The vacuum cleaner also includes a motor (not shown) mounted in the cleaner body 1 to generate a suction force to draw in dirt-laden air through suction port 4. The dirt-laden air is drawn into cleaner body 1 via extension pipe 3 and connection hose 2. Solid contaminants are filtered at paper filter 7 that is disposed in the dust collecting chamber of the cleaner body 1, while the exiting air is discharged outside of the cleaner body 1.
In the general vacuum cleaner as described above, all of the solid contaminants in the dirt-laden air that is drawn in through the suction port 4 are filtered out at only a single paper filter 7 disposed in the dust collecting chamber 6 of the cleaner body 1. As a result, paper filter 7 becomes filled with contaminants quickly and must be replaced often in order to prevent overloading the motor and decreasing the suction force. Accordingly, frequent replacement of this disposable filter increases waste and the cost of operation due to the need to purchase replacement filters.
In an attempt to solve this problem, a vacuum cleaner having a cyclone dust collecting apparatus 10 has been suggested. A cyclone dust collecting apparatus serves as a first stage filtration area so the filter in body 1 can serve as a second stage filtration area. The collected debris in the cyclone dust collecting apparatus can be simply dumped without the use of disposable filters.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cyclone dust collecting apparatus 10 is connected and thus disposed at a part of the extension pipe 3 that connects the cleaner body 1 and the suction brush 4.
Cyclone dust collecting apparatus 10 includes a cyclone body 20 having first and second connection pipes 11 and 12, respectively, a dust collecting receptacle 30 removably connected to cyclone body 20, and a filter member 40 positioned in dust collecting receptacle 30. The first connection pipe 11 is connected to extension pipe 3′ proximate suction port 4 and second connection pipe 12 is connected to extension pipe 3″ proximate cleaner body 1. Dust collecting receptacle 30 has a substantially cylindrical shape. Dust collecting receptacle 30 can also have a shape of a tapered cylinder which grows narrower as it extends downward.
In operation, dirt-laden air, drawn in through the suction port 4, is drawn through an air inlet 11a of first connection pipe 11 into the cyclone body 20 in a diagonal relation with respect to cyclone body 20. As the air current flows diagonally into the cyclone body 20, an air vortex is generated in cyclone body 20 and dust collecting receptacle 30 in a direction indicated by the solid-lined arrows in FIG. 2. As a result of the vortex air current, a centrifugal force is generated, separating large particle contaminants from the air. The separated contaminants fall and then are entrained in an upturning air current (indicated by the dot-lined arrows of FIG. 5) and then reflected from the bottom of dust collecting receptacle 30. In the upturning air current, the separated contaminants are discharged toward the cleaner body 1 through an air outlet 12a formed in the cyclone body 20.
Meanwhile, filter member 40 within receptacle 30 prevents the contaminants from reversing together with the air flowing through air outlet 12a of cyclone body 20 during the operation of cyclone dust collecting apparatus 10.
The vacuum cleaner having such a cyclone dust collecting apparatus 10, is constructed such that the large particle contaminants of the dirt-laden air drawn in through the suction port 4 are pre-filtered in the cyclone apparatus before the dirt-laden air flows to the paper filter 7. In this manner, the cyclone apparatus functions as a first stage filtration device, and the air exiting the apparatus is directed to paper filter 7 to undergo an additional filtration step. Accordingly, the amount of contaminants to be filtered by paper filter 7 decreases, and the lifespan of paper filter 7 is lengthened. Also, by pre-filtering large particle contaminants, other advantages like prevention of suction force deterioration and motor overload are expected.
A detraction of the vacuum cleaner having the cyclone dust collecting apparatus 10 as described above, is that, the presence of cylindrical dust collecting receptacle 30 along cylindrical extension pipe 3 inevitably increases the overall volume of the cleaner. The rather bulky volume of the cleaner is cumbersome, and a user often finds it tiresome to use the cleaner and to move it as necessary during the cleaning operation.